Flaying-knife and the like.



'J. GOOMBER.

PLAYING KNIFE AND THE LIKE.

APPLIGATlON FILED AUG. 29,1907.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEREMIAH COOMBER, OF NEWPORT, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRDTO ROBERT JAMES COOMBER AND ONE-THIRD T0 ELIZABETH AGNES COOMBER, GENORTI-ICOTE, AUSTRALIA.

FLAYING-KNIFE AND 'lI-IE LIKE.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 29, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH CooMBER, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, &c., residing at Newport, in the State of Victoria,Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Flaying-Knives and the Like; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Cattle flaying, sheep skinning, and cognate operations are generallyperformed with the aid of a knife the speciality of which is theconvexity of its keen edge. In the aggregate there is muchlosscommercially owing to the number of hides and skins which areimperfect, having been damaged in removal by the knife. Some operatorsare inexperienced, unskilled, or careless; but even those who are notwill produce an appreciable percentage of clamaged hides or skins. Theconvexity of the blade goes far to facilitate proper fiaying; but bythis invention the operator is further assisted, less time is required,and so much skill and experience are not essential.

The improvement is located at the knife end leaving the rest of theblade thin and unencumbered, easy to keep in good condition and to workwith for various purposes.

The improvement comprises a knob, cap or sheath integral with the blade;or permanently affixed; or removable.

In the accompanying drawings embodiments of the invention areillustrated, but modifications thereof may be made to include essentialmatter within the scope of the claims.

Figure 1 is a side view of a fiaying knife, provided with, one form ofmy invention. Fig. 2 is a back edge View of the flaying knife shown inFig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 show a flaying knife blade end, on a much enlargedscale in (respectively) front edge, and back edge views. Fig. 5, is aside view of a modification of the form shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows afiaying knife blade end in back edge view, the form shown being afurther modification of that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 shows a furthermodification wherein a cap is fixed on or attached by a rivet screw, orpin,and Fig. 8, still Serial No. 390,667.

another modification wherein a sheath is connected by means of a tooththerein entering a notch in the knife back edge. Fig. 9 is a sectionthrough line 11 in Figs. 8 and 4. Fig. 10 is a vertical section throughline 12 in Fig. 6.

In these illustrations the knife handle is marked A, the blade B, andthe enlargement or protective device at its end 0 in Figs. 1 to 5 and inFig. 9; C in Figs. 6 and 10; C in Fig. 7 and C in Fig. 8. The contourand form of this knob may vary. In Fig. 5, the enlargement C appearswith its fore edge or line of greatest thickness or width extendingalong the dotted line G Part C, G 0 or C is steel, or other metal,alloy, or material, its front and back being brought to a suitablelocation relatively to the keen edge D and back E of the rest of bladeB; for example as in Figs. 1 to 5 by continuing the curves thereof, orextending them so as to cross edges D and E as in Figs. 7 and 8.

At F is a permanent rivet, or a removable screw, or an inwardlyprojecting stud or pin on part O to spring into or be pressed to enter acorresponding hole in blade B. The cap edges project slightly at F suchbeing ample for the purpose in view; in other cases it is sufficient tocontinue along blade line D and E so as to make a thick non-cuttingnose; in Figs. 1 to 5 the nose C is thus blunt. The blunt extremity F ofthe cap is integral in Fig. 7.

At G Fig. 8 is a tooth inside the recess of the sheath C to enter arecess or notch G in the blade edge; at G is a slot, the cap materialbeing springy enough to allow of the cap being forced open and thensprung closed or clamped. The knob need not project on both sides of theblade end, or project equally when on both sides; but when it is as inFigs. 6 and 10 on one side only the leaving of a sharp point or edge atthe blade tip is avoided. The contour is readily finished off orregulated by grinding.

This improved knife is very useful for slitting a carcass skin, whileavoiding cutting the flesh; as when slitting down an animals leg. Anincision is first made in any suitable manner. Then the knobbed end ofthe blade is inserted and the keen edge makes the slit while the knobprevents the knife from cutting into the flesh, the latter yieldingsomewhat under the knob pressure.

By holding the knife handle deftly to one side the knob may be sopressed outward as to further facilitate the parting of the skin fromthe flesh when slitting. The blade can be sharpened readily even with ahigh knob on one or both sides. This is so because of the convexity ofthe blade; and as an aid the knob is made to cover or broaden lesslength of the keen edge D than of the back E, hen the cap is removable,sharpening may be efiected with it on or off as preferred.

What I do claim as my invention and def sire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is 1. A knife having a blade end provided withmeans incapable of eutting, integral with said end, extendinglongitudinally of 2. A skinning knife comprising a blade having at itsend a blunt portion forming a knob extending laterally outside the planeof said blade, and tapering to the plane of said blade, whereby thepoint of the blade is rendered incapable of cutting and the knob isadapted to wedge the skin from the flesh in the skinning operation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEREMIAH COOMBER.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE G. TURRI, BEATRICE M. Lown.

